Assessing Entrepreneurial Readiness and Perceptions of AI: A Catalyst for Sustainable Business Model Innovation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67167/vertex.639Keywords:
Artificial Intelligence, entrepreneurial readiness, sustainable business model innovation, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), green entrepreneurshipAbstract
In the era of rapid technological advancement, contemporary entrepreneurs face a challenging crossroads, balancing the pressure to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) with the urgent mandate to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This quantitative study investigated the structural relationships between entrepreneurial readiness, sustainability perceptions of AI, and Sustainable Business Model Innovation (SBMI) aligned with SDGs 8, 9, and 12. Utilizing a descriptive survey design, data was gathered from 200 entrepreneurs using a validated survey questionnaire. The findings revealed that while workforces are culturally and digitally prepared to embrace automation, entrepreneurs operate with a moderate level of overall readiness (Composite u = 3.08) due to severe financial and infrastructural constraints. Furthermore, an asymmetry exists regarding sustainability perceptions, entrepreneurs strongly recognize AI's potential as an economic engine for operational efficiency (SDG 8 and 9), yet remain largely neutral or undecided (u = 3.20) concerning its ecological application towards circular economies (SDG 12). Correlation and multiple linear regression analyzes confirmed a moderate, positive relationship between readiness and perceptions (r = 0.485, p < 0.01) and demonstrated that both variables are highly significant, positive predictors (R2 = 0.469), p< 0.001) of an enterprise's capacity for sustainable innovation. While raw technological readiness represents the foundational capability, a sustainability-centered perception serves as the strategic steering mechanism. Based on these findings, the Readiness-Perception-Executed Business Model is proposed to guide entrepreneurs in leveraging AI as a responsible catalyst for sustainable development.
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